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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28963047">Come away with me?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrustratedPoet1979/pseuds/FrustratedPoet1979'>FrustratedPoet1979</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Marauders Pub Soho [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Muggle, Emotional, F/M, Goodbyes, James owns a bar, Lily is a boss, Modern Marauders (Harry Potter), Morning After, Sharing a Shower, jily, lots of feelings, reluctant goodbyes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:42:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,437</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28963047</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrustratedPoet1979/pseuds/FrustratedPoet1979</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The morning after a night of passion Lily has to leave a sleeping James, but she doesn't want to.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James Potter/Lily Evans Potter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Marauders Pub Soho [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2124357</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>37</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Come away with me?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This story follows on slightly from my NSFW fic called Reunion. It should still make sense if you haven't read the other, but you will probably understand it more if you have.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lily lay staring at the skylight, and watched the patch of sky turn from black to indigo. She just gazed without moving, hardly even blinking as it gradually grew lighter and lighter. She had not been able to find any rest for more than a few brief snatches, as tired as she was. Her whole body zinged with electricity, her brain abuzz with everything that had happened last night and had continued to happen throughout the night. She glanced over towards the body sleeping soundly beside her, the sheets pooled around his waist showing his toned back. He had acquired some new tattoos in the six years since she had last seen him. When she’d remarked on the delicately detailed Lily that was now inked on his right side sweeping across his ribs, he had quipped back that it marked the spot where she had stuck her knife in him when she’d left him to pursue her career. That remark had stung more than she wanted to admit, even though she did deserve it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had told him last night she never wanted to leave his side again, and she had meant it. Especially at that moment, standing in the bar he basically built, surrounded by the memories of their childhood. Engulfed by the overwhelming scent of James himself. At that moment it had been so easy to say yes to all of his questions, say yes to coming here to his place instead of going back to her hotel as she had planned. She wished she could stay in this moment, with the old day finished and the new not yet begun. In this bed with this man forever. But all too soon she would have to leave. She needed to get on a plane in a few hours. If she didn’t, then any dream she had to live in London permanently would be gone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She glanced around James's attic room trying to see if he even had a clock. She was amazed that he still lived like this. There was a rail for his clothes and a bed so low it was almost like the mattress was on the floor. That was it. She hoped he didn’t live like this all the time, but she suspected his life and energy was spent at the bar.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It had looked so beautiful, the large dark polished oak panels and the brass rail, the small stage with the piano sitting proudly. And all the pictures on the walls of their schooldays. It had always been his dream to run a bar, and the four Marauders had made it a successful reality, but she knew who had been driving it from day one, and she was incredibly proud of him for that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She reached for her clutch bag and fumbled in it for her phone. It did not light up when she tapped the screen. Her battery must have died. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She glanced over at James, still sleeping soundly, and contemplated waking him, but she knew he was exhausted. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She had wiped him out</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she thought to herself, suppressing a giggle, it had been a wonderful night. He had not forgotten any of the things he used to do to make her whole body hum, and he had learned a few new things too she had discovered. His strength and stamina had greatly increased. Not that she had expected him to hold himself chaste for her, but she still had a pang of jealousy at the thought that other women had touched him, had been with </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span> James. Had they asked about his tattoo? She always thought of him as hers, even though she hadn’t exactly expected to ever come back to him that day she had left. Any time before now when she had considered it she talked herself out of it because she was convinced he would be with someone else.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She rolled over onto her back again and looked up at the skylight. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What time was it?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’d hoped she wouldn't have to do this but she slid off the edge of the bed and took Jame’s phone out of the pocket of his jeans and opened it, shaking her head at the stubborn distrust for technology that meant he still used an old flip phone. Although at the moment Lily was grateful because she didn’t have to worry about unlocking it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She tapped in the digits for her assistant's number as she crept into his ensuite, slipping on the dressing gown that was on a hook behind the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The phone rang just once before she heard an unsure “Hello?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Jess it’s me…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lily!” came the scream, causing her to jump and nearly drop the phone. “Where the fucking hell have you been? I’ve been calling you all night. Your meeting has been moved up, you need to get to the airport right now!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? Oh, </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” Lily took a breath and closed her eyes as her assistant kept rambling over the phone, talking so fast Lily could hardly understand them. “Jess, Jess, Jessie!” She tried to speak urgently and sharply without making too much noise. “I need you to bring me my bag and my suit, the green one. Put an extra pair of underwear in my bag.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Lily, but your overnight bag won’t be enough, I've had to pack your suitcase, you’ll be staying for a week. They’ve sent a whole itinerary, but when we left Hong Kong I didn’t think to pack any of your formal wear. I’ve arranged for the concierge to book a fitting for after your first meeting, once you’ve checked in. Where are you anyway? I need to let Terrence know where we need to come and get you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lily went to answer then realised she had no actual idea of the address. It wasn’t far from the bar, she didn’t think. But she had been interested in other things besides looking out the car window to notice what neighbourhood they were in. Lily looked up as the door to the bathroom swung open gently, revealing a conscious James leaning against the frame wearing only his battered looking jeans, his tousled hair framing his tired-looking face and his glasses perching on the end of his nose, as if they were mere moments from falling off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She let the phone fall from her ear slightly as he continued to stare at her, a wry smile reaching only the edge of his lips. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Something tells me you aren’t staying for breakfast.” His tone was light but she heard the resignation behind it. As she looked over at her childhood sweetheart, an idea struck her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jess? You still there? Pick me up outside the Marauders’ Pub in Soho. Yeah? And Jess? I'm gonna need another plane ticket.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, okay boss but they are sending you a priv…..” Lily did not hear the last of her assistant’s words as she closed the flip phone and tossed it back to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can't believe you still use that antique.” He caught it deftly in his left hand and dropped it into his back pocket.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t believe I’m letting you dick around with my life again,” he replied, barely even trying to mask the disappointment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As much as I'd love to have </span>
  <em>
    <span>this </span>
  </em>
  <span>argument again, I really need you to pack yourself a bag. Do you have a good suit that fits you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He shook his head and blinked at her as she brushed past him to his rail of clothes and started looking through them. He still had some nice attire here, a lot of it she remembered from their life before.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lily, wait,” he called after her but she took no notice. She had no time. Already, in her head, she was mapping out what she needed to do. A whole week with these people. The one day originally planned would have been torture, but this... If she had back up maybe she could make it work.  “Stop.” He placed a hand on hers as it rested on the next coathanger. She looked up into his gorgeous eyes as they shone with all the colours as his emotions played out across his face. He was always so expressive. “What are you doing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I want you to come with me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why not? You’re your own boss, you could take the time off. It’s not like you’re the only one in charge. What about Sirius? Or Remus? Or even Pete?” She paused, “Is Pete doing okay? I thought he wanted to go in a, erm, </span>
  <em>
    <span>different</span>
  </em>
  <span> direction but I saw his name up there with the rest of you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He sighed and rubbed his eyes under his glasses. “Pete is a silent partner, he helps out when he can but his wife made him join their family business, he helps by keeping </span>
  <em>
    <span>them</span>
  </em>
  <span> away.” His hand dropped to his side. “Lily I can’t afford to just drop everything, everybody else has other responsibilities, I’m the only one left to run it and I won't let it fail. My staff depends on me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“James, this is me telling you I don’t want to leave you again. I don’t want to go on this trip without you by my side, I could use someone in my corner. I could also use a devilishly handsome, charming, charismatic–” he raised an eyebrow at her seductive tone but didn’t stop her putting her hands on his chest, tracing the antlers that spread across them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “My tattoos aren’t very corporate,” he murmured, his voice sounding deep and throaty. she shrugged in reply,</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’d be surprised what people hide under their suits these days.” She told him with a twinkle, sobering when his lips thinned. “Please James. I need you.” She hadn’t realised how true those words were until she had spoken them to the universe.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry Lily, but my staff need me more. They rely on me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So you’ve never taken a day off? Never had to call in sick?” Before he could answer her questions an idea struck her. “What if I pay your staff for the week? How much would that be?” He stood for a moment apparently stunned then started laughing and stepped away from her, sitting down on the edge of the bed. She tried not to look upset at his reaction to her suggestion. She stood watching him and waited for his mirth to subside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, you are actually serious? You want to pay me so I will spend time with you?” He shook his head as his mirth still rippled through him. “This isn’t Pretty Woman and I’m not some, some...rentboy you picked up off the street.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now he sounded angry. James’ phone started buzzing in his back pocket. She had not thought that offering to pay his staff would equate to her hiring him as an escort service. Her brain hadn’t gone that way at all. She let him answer his call, as she rushed back to the bathroom for a much-needed shower and tried to clear her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>James may have skimped on bedroom furniture but he hadn’t skimped on his wetroom. The shower was a walk-in style and big enough for four people, the naturally textured tiles on her feet were warm as she walked in, the large slabs of highly polished sand-coloured stone on the walls were so neatly fitted she couldn’t even see the joins. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Turning on the shower filled the room with hot steam and the reassuring splats of water droplets peppering the tiles. Stepping into it, she gasped at the pressure. It was like standing in a tropical rainstorm. She just stood there unmoving, letting the water rush over her enjoying the sensation as it beat down on her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That was your PA on the phone. I gave them this address so you can leave from here.” James said as he stepped into the bathroom like they did this kind of thing all the time. “Thought you might want to have some fresh clothes to wear.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You really won’t come?” She asked, trying one last time. She forced herself to keep her eyes forward when she realised he was joining her by the sound of his jeans hitting the tiled floor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Despite their recent intimacy, or perhaps because of it, being this close to his naked body turned her core white-hot. She tried very hard not to react as she felt his naked skin brush up against hers.  His arm reached past and grabbed an unlabeled metal bottle from the small alcove. Then his fingers were in her hair and her nostrils were filled with the scent of an English summer garden.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is it okay that I join you in here? Thought it would save some time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, okay, it’s absolutely fine,” she tried to keep her voice as neutral as his but even she could hear the breathiness.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I told your assistant I can’t, it’s not my scene at all,” he told her conversationally as if he wasn’t standing butt naked behind her in the shower. He was trying to calm her down, trying to talk about what needed to be talked about. The fact they were taking a shower together didn’t seem to phase him at all. Determinedly, she tried to follow his lead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is not me running away from you. I need you to understand that.” She hummed in pleasure as his fingers massaged deeper into her hair. “I’m sorry if I offended you, offering to pay.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “I’m still not sure if I find it more funny or offensive,” he began. “I can’t say I’m not tempted to run away with you, but you know as well as I do how much of a distraction I would be. You need to be at your best. I will be fine, I’ll just have to trust you’ll come back. That you're not making me the poor jilted lover once more.” He told her. She wanted to tell him he didn’t need to worry, wanted to say all the things that she had agonised about saying as she lay awake beside him in his bed, but no words could adequately explain how she was feeling. So she turned and reached for him, pushing her fingers up across his stubble studded cheeks into his hair and kissing him soundly. Breaking the kiss he tilted her head back as his lips dragged kisses across her throat. She didn’t need to ask where his mind was right now, she could feel his arousal pressing against her stomach. All too soon her brain caught up with her and soundly put on the brakes. “Not that I don’t enjoy where this is going, but we need to stop.” She took a few quick breaths as his hands continued to soap her breasts. “I don’t have the time and I’m a little tender.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You were the one who started things, Evans. I was just helping you wash,” he said innocently, amusement dancing in his eyes. But he did take his hands off her body and even though she had asked him to, she mourned the loss of contact. “In all honesty, I don’t think I have it in me right now to perform at my best anyway.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s just put this on pause for now then shall we?” She told him, giving him a gentle kiss, hoping he understood how much he continued to mean to her. Lily dipped her head to rinse the bubbles out of her hair. It felt like silk as she combed her fingers through it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>that shampoo? It’s amazing!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s a prototype. Remus’ company makes it, the only thing that’s come close to making my hair behave. He’s made it his personal mission to tame it. He gives me a new formula just about every week.” He pointed to the small bathroom cabinet above the sink. “The conditioner’s in there, it's one you have to leave in. I put towels on the hook.” She stepped aside once she was rinsed, letting him have the full force of the shower. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Does he always make it smell like flowers?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yup.” She expected him to elaborate but when he didn’t she just let it go and stepped out of the shower. She found the small spray bottle in the cabinet simply labelled conditioner and scrunched some into her hair as she watched James wash his. The bubbles slid down his frame in ways that made her wish she could just step back in there with him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lily wished she could continue to stare at him but her logical brain was kicking in to tell her all that she still had to do. Moving back to the bedroom, she twisted her hair up out of the way while she looked for anywhere he would store things. There wasn’t even a cupboard in the bedroom so she padded her way through to the living space. She barely remembered it from the night before, and she was stunned at how minimally he lived.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a beautiful apartment, the exposed red brick looked amazing with the warm honey-coloured wooden floor. The living space was a good size for London, the kitchen looked brand new with a wooden worktop that matched the floor and clean white cupboards. She spotted the coffee machine and hunted in the cupboards to see if he had any beans, suppressing her irritation when every single one was empty. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The more she looked around his place, the less it felt like he lived here at all. There was a giant modular brown leather sofa taking up the majority of space in the living area, a coffee table that looked like it was made out of granite, and a giant tv on the wall. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>What is this place to you James Potter?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” She mused as she looked around. She was tempted to start rummaging in drawers (if there were any) but it felt like possibly a step too far for now. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The intercom buzzed impatiently making her jump guiltily and nearly drop her towel. As she stared at the white box on the wall and wondered how to operate it James came striding out of the bedroom holding a hand towel around his waist, hair still dripping. He lifted the receiver then buzzed to let the person come up. “It’s your assistant.” He explained before vanishing back to the bedroom.</span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lily stood looking through the peephole until she saw her assistant's blonde head appear from the stairs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She opened the door and ushered them in quickly. Taking the bag from them awkwardly with one hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jessie looked around and hummed appreciatively. “This is nice, you could do a lot with this place. When are they moving in?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” Lily replied quietly. “I’m going to go change. Can you play nice with James, please? It would be great if you two get on.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well I’ll behave if he will,” Jessie swept an invisible strand of hair out their face before relenting to Lily’s reproachful look. “Alright, alright. When we spoke on the phone they were pleasant so I can be too.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Great, I’ll be super quick,” as she made her way back into the bedroom James stepped out wearing that same pair of jeans he seemed incredibly fond of and one of his many black Marauders Pub t-shirts. He put out a hand to stop her as she tried to slip past him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going to get out of your hair,” he said quietly. She could tell by the tone he didn’t want to be here when she left, didn’t want to be the one left waving by the door. She understood that in an instant, saw it in his sad eyes, and the hesitant touch he placed on her arm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay.” With a glance at her assistant, she walked him back into the bedroom. “This was not how I wanted this to go,” she said, keeping her voice down once she knew they were alone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Saying goodbye brings back bad memories,” he told her shuffling his feet and running a hand through his hair. “I want to believe you're coming back this time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course I’m coming back. I’ll call you, every day. But could you do something for me?” She asked, reaching to snake her arms around his neck.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you get yourself a new phone so we can video chat?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, Evans I think I can manage that,” he told her, leaning down to kiss her goodbye for what they both hoped was the last time.  </span>
</p>
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